One woman, Lydia, was from Thyatira and a dealer in expensive textiles, known to be a God-fearing woman. As she listened with intensity to what was being said, the Master gave her a trusting heart—and she believed!
Acts 16:14 MSG
There is a game we play in my acting classes called “Yes! And?” Someone starts an acting scene and every actor’s job is to never say no to any dialogue or scene suggestions. Whatever another actor says, you start acting out, no questions asked.
Say you are doing a scene about two employees working at a burger joint. And one actor claims aliens will be landing in five minutes to try earthly food. The other actor’s job is to say “Yes! And they will be very unhappy if we don’t have their orders ready!”
You have to be present in every moment of the scene. You have to listen intensely, trust and believe your scene partner. Sound familiar? God asks us to do the same thing in our real lives.
Lydia was one of Paul’s converts in the Bible. As she heard the gospel, she “listened with intensity” and “the Master gave her a trusting heart—and she believed!” After Lydia listened and said yes, she performed her “and.”
In the next verse, Acts 16:15, it reads, “After she was baptized, along with everyone in her household, she said in a surge of hospitality, ‘If you’re confident that I’m in this with you and believe in the Master truly, come home with me and be my guests’ We hesitated, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
She proved to Paul and the others that she truly believed in God by actively showing them hospitality, boldness, and kindness. She proved to God that she was in for the long haul by helping those He sent to her.
Did you know you can do the same? Listen and take in His Word and His presence. Live out what you have come to believe—trusting in what God has called you to do with a welcoming grace for every person you come in contact with.
Below are several situations that may make you uncomfortable. Read each situation and say “Yes! And?” Ask yourself how Jesus would respond to each one. Take note of how He answers.
I don’t get along with her, but she needs my help. ______________________________________
I did a mean thing.______________________________________________________________
I’m scared of this. _______________________________________________________________
I am so thankful for my friend. ____________________________________________________
God is asking me to share His truth.________________________________________________
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Read this devotion and more in Ellie’s ECPA-bestselling book “God Calls You Strong, Girl”, available from Barbour Publishing.
